The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-07-31
Curry Favor with the Administration, and
Their Complete and Utter Failure.
New and Important Work Which Will
BE Of Great Value to Agriculturists.
Contemplate Tricks to Which Shippers
Sometimes Resort in Order to Defraud
Railways of Their Just Dues.
ARCHITECT BELL.

Failure of His Sycophantio Efforts to Retain
Office Under the Democrats.
Special to the indianapolis Journsl.
WASHINGTON. July 30-No man in the public
service at the beginning of the present admin
istraton has left his position with SO little regret
from his associates in Office M. Fl. E. Bell,
late supervising architect of the Treasury Bell
was appointed from Iowa several years ago, and
at that time pronounced Republican. To
all outward appearance he remained a member
of that party until 1t was known beyond que lion
that Mr. Cleveland had been elected TO the
presidency. In October. 1884, this man stated
to number of gentlemen in his Office that if by
any possible chance the Democrats should be
successful he would at once resign, as he could
not consent to serve under Democratic ad-
ministration. No had the Republican
national COMMITTEES given up all hope of the
election of Mr.. Blaine than he found it necessary
to travel at once to Troy, n. Y, to Examine the
site selected for the public building there He
told his associates in the Office that while there
he would take occasion to run over to Albany to
Congratulate the Governor" It is not record
ed that he accomplished anything for the govern
meEt while in Troy, but it is known that he
congratulated the Governor" On his return he
began to play his cards to retain the favor of the
victorious Democracy. Senator German, of
Maryland, ''Bishop" Oberly of Illinois, and
other Democratic leaders whose favor might be
of value to the supervising architect, were
allowed TO dictate appoin tments and removals
in the Office, which were not embraced in the
classified service. Men who had served the
governments faithfully for years, and whose
duties were of q technical character were dis
charged without warning, and others-often
entirely ineompetent-were appointed to
succeed them. Everything possible that
could by any chance gain Democratic
supporters for Bell was done. Within the two
years since the inauguration Of President Glove
land nearly everv employe of the Office has been
discharged There is not another bureau under
the government where there has been anything
like the changes that have taken place in the
Office of the supervising architect of the Treas
ury. All these changes have been made either
directly or Indirectly at the instance of the
alleged Republican at the head of the Office
That he failed to win the favor that he expected
is evident from the fact that Secretary Fairchild
has, upon more than one occasion, told his
friends that the Office would be filed by Dem
ocrat just soon a competent man could be
found accept the position at the salary offered.
He said, further. that it had been offered to a
~1uinher of architects, each of whom had de-
clined in because $500 year was not
sufficiently attractive to induce them to leave
their private business.
The new architect. Mr.. Freret, of New Orr
leans, is gentleman Of excellent professional
reputation, who refused to accept the Office
when it was first offered him. He was finally
persuaded that it would afford him an oppor-
tunity to extend mis- reputation to all sections of
the country, and this consideration is said to
have at last induced him to accept the place. He
will doubtless build up the Office as he
can weed out the exceedingly incompetent men
who appointed by p all solely on account OF
the political pulp which they gave him The
Office is of far more Importance than is generally
known. as the supervising architect has almost
unlimited control of the expenditure of millions
of dollars every year.